The prior art related to the attachment of tags to garments or to articles made of fabric or similar sheet materials includes several examples of apparatus which are similar to the apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,788. This apparatus is used with a flexible fastener which includes a bar portion, an elongated filament portion, or connecting portion, which projects sideways from the approximate center of the bar portion, and a head portion which is joined to an end of the filament portion. The fastener is preferably molded as a one-piece member using a plastic material such as nylon and has the general overall configuration of a capital letter H. In use, the bar portion is pierced through a garment or similar article and the filament portion holds a tag.
The apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,924,788 includes a hollow needle and a hand operated lever mechanism which is operated to cause a driving rod to force the bar portion of a fastener into the bore of the needle. The driving rod forces the fastener through the bore of the needle and thereby through a portion of fabric which the needle penetrates. Withdrawal of the needle from the fabric allows the fastener to remain locked onto the fabric. The lever mechanism includes a spring which serves to return the lever mechanism to its original operating position. Use of this apparatus requires the operator to squeeze a portion of the mechanism in order to overcome the spring force.
The use of this apparatus under normal use conditions which typically involves the attachment of tags to a large number of garments, soon leads to a condition of hand strain and fatigue with consequent loss of efficiency. Prolonged use of such apparatus, which involves repetitive hand motion, can lead to medical conditions such as the recently noted carpal tunnel syndrome which can result in debilitating levels of discomfort and pain.